China’s mountain biodiversity and conservation status

• Mountain conservation is a key part of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda. • Over 85% of mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian species inhabit mountain regions in China. • Protected areas cover a quarter of important mountain biodiversity sites. • Conservation gaps exist in the southeastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the Southeastern Hills. • Future mountain conservation should prioritize narrowly distributed ecosystem types. As global biodiversity continues to decline and ecosystems degrade, mountains are often regarded as crucial refuges for numerous species due to their unique montane environments and relatively unfragmented landscapes. The conservation of mountain biodiversity is a key component of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda. Gaining insight into the distribution of montane species and identifying priority conservation areas are essential for effective action. However, such efforts have been relatively limited in China. In this study, we evaluated the contribution of mountains to biodiversity conservation within the country. Our findings indicate that China’s mountains support a remarkable percentage of the country’s wildlife. They include 95 % of mammal species, 85 % of bird species, 89 % of amphibian species, 85 % of reptile species, and 80 % of higher plant species. These areas harbor over 93 % of natural ecosystem subclasses of China, despite constituting only 65 % of the total land area. Approximately a quarter of important sites for mountain biodiversity are covered by protected areas, but some key regions remain unprotected. It is recommended that protection be prioritized in the southeastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Hengduan Mountains and the Southeastern Hills, with a focus on narrowly distributed ecosystems, to achieve the biodiversity target and vision.